University of South Carolina Libraries
GAME COCK LXXIV, No. 104 University of South Carolina Monday April 5, 1982 Liddy Con By SUSAN MUIR Staff Writer Winning an argument with G. Gordon Liddy is practically impossible. Liddy, an ingenious persuasive speaker, spoke for nearly three hours Thursday night in the Russell House Ballroom, centering his lecture around illusion. According to Liddy, America is living an illusion concerning the world and its own strength. When Liddy finished condemning the U.S. armed forces by citing degrading statistics and alarming Soviet Union capabilities, the U.S. Army sounded like that of a Third World nation. He said the United States is now perceived as a little old lady, not as the offensive lineman it once was. He said the U.S. Army lacks intelligence and quality because it is a volunteer army. Liddy said 50 percent of the U.S. aircrafts are inoperable, and while the U.S. produces 50 tanrfs a month, the Soviets turn out 50 a week. The only way America can regain its offensive lineman reputation is to build up the military, Liddy said. Without a strong military, America will find itself heading for trouble. Speaking of the Soviet Union, Liddy said, "They're communist, but they're not crazy." If the United States is too strong to be defeated, the Soviets won't be willing to get into a war. Thinking only of peace without upgrading the military is 1 il- 1_? 11 A 1 ^ A. A ^ oniy wisniui imnKing on me /American people s pan. /\s Liddy said, "It takes two to seek peace." Liddy gave his impression of Watergate, with special attention to the trials and Judge John Sirica, about whom he said, "It's not his fault he was born stupid." In reference to his role in Watergate, Liddy said the two break-ins into the National Democratic Headquarters were to plant monitors to record information about presidential candidate George McGovern and to replace a transmitter. Put during the second break-in, Liddy, James W. McCord III, and H.R. Holderman were given orders to obtain photographs of files of James O'Brien, an important member of McGovern's campaign. Liddy justified his part in the break-ins by explaining his vipws of moralitv and leealitv. He claimed his actions were not of malicious intent although the purpose of the break-ins was to find information which the Nixon administration could use against McGovern. Liddy said what he did was against the law, but it wasn't immoral. Candidates R< ? JOHN F. SIIKPAHD usi"8 his ofl SU.WH,,, am '0 working wil After a three week delay, Student very much. Government held the election runoff Abel also Thursday. have confid The election was postponed after vice- that he will presidential candidate Barry Gray con- students, tested the election on the grounds that Kenneth former Gamecock Editor Mark Platte the first ele illegally used his column for campaign the runoff, purposes. thought tha Ashley Abel, a junior finance major, won not have fc the presidential runoff against Kenneth students lo: Allen as the "candidate for student con- had been dr cerns." Allen sa Abel said that he placed emphasis on deterred hi being out with the students and that this was "I would lil the strongest point in his campaign. "When off system you take the time to be with thepeople.it will person aga payoff." minority w Abel said his first priority when he gets in Allen bas office is to make cabinet appointments and student bac to start pushing legislation for the univer- Allen's can sity- . . foi urns in t He said he will be working very closely jet stu(j( with SG president John Boswell this week the senate during the transition period. Abel plans on Allen sai< working very ' closely with university points in n President James Holderman and plans on election wa demns America According to Liddy, he played a part in the break-ins because he wanted Nixon to win the election; it was a choice of being slaves to McGovern's administration or continuing another four years with a successful president. Liddy said he felt Sirica was responsible for questioning the jury to guarantee their impartiality, but that to speed up the trial, Sirica didn't interview all the jurors. When one of the sequestered jurors was caught talking to his wife on the phone after five of the defendants pleaded guilty, Sirica agreed to bring the man in for questioning to determine if he had been prejudiced. It was discovered the juror could not speak English. To avoid embarrassment, Sirica sealed the record of this interview and continued the trial. Liddy said his most powerful weapon ? his intelligence ? anoKloH him fn rfof Ant rvf nrienn in A C \morc inctnoH r\f hie VUUU1VU ill A A A tv gvi. VUt VI pi lOV/ll 111 T.J J ^Ut O II lO ^UU V/l IllO assigned 21-year prison term. During this time, he was an inmate in nine prisons. He said he was constantly transferred because the wardens were afraid of his power. Liddy said he organized his best espionage ring while he was in Danbury Prison. He and other inmates broke into the warden's office and uncovered documents which showed violations the warden committed. With this uncovered information, Liddy took the warden to court where he was C i t /J rltiiHtt 1UUI1U gUlll^ . Liddy also spoke briefly of the presidents following Nixon. Although he made it clear that he did not like Carter, Liddy said he favors Reagan's economic program. If Congress lets Reagan's program go into effect unaltered, Liddy will be optimistic for America's future. He said so far Reagan's program has not shown any worthwhile effects because Congress has not given the president the big tax cut he asked for. "Let the man have his program ? and he has one ? then judge him," Liddy said. At the press conference after the lecture, Liddy discussed the present crisis in El Salvador. He said the leftist rebels have the Soviets' support and the United States doesn't need to send American troops to defend the rightists. Instead, America should provide economic aid and training for the nations in opposition to the Soviets. According to Liddy, the United States lacks common sense. "We're our own worst enemies ? fools. Lenin had a name for it ? useful fools." oari Tn HplaupH F ice to get his issues acted upon. supporters did not show up a oking forward to meeting and He said he would still be a th Dr. Holderman; I respect him Government, and if he v position he would consider said he hopes the students will my commitment to the studc ence in Student Government and Now that the election is do his best to be visible to all the that he would like to offer challenge. "I challenge the Allen, a junior marketing won get involved in the Student ( ction for SG president but lost in to hold the elected officials Af>r the election, Allen said he their actions." it it vas a fair race,but it should James Henneu ana mikc >een dragged on so long. "The two remaining candidates ?t interest in the election after it presidential position, awn out for three weeks." James Bennett was the w id that the runoff definitely election, and Sheely defeai s chances of winning the election. for the runoff slot. ke to see the abolition of the run- Sheely won the election r . When it comes down to one votes to Bennett's 1,531. A c( inst another, the likelihood of the when James Bennett requei inning is very low." the votes because of the conl ed his campaign on "putting the The ballots that were k into the Student Government." those cast by people whose inaign olatform was to initiate been taken off the comput he senate with their districts to permitted to vote while tl ints know what is going on the in checked by the election con Bennett said he was p I, "I don't think I had any weak election, but the delay hui ly campaign,but my losing the winning. is due to the fact that my main Bennett's main concern in Illusion T-7 T? ?| |~ 1 - m 11 : Mall Pholo Sy RUSSfll loPINTO G. Gordon Liddy spoke Thursday night in the Russell House Ballroom. iunoff Election t the polls." seats within the senate. "1 don't think there ctive in Student anv u;:?v 9ft ^tndpnts; pan ronrpspnt l>fi (MM) ^ere offered a students," Bennett said. it. "I still have He also said he warns the new Student mts," he said. Government officials to continue lobbying over Allen said through the summer. "This summer is the students a going to be very vital for the lobbying effort student body to with this being election year." Government and . . Aornnntihlp for Bennett, a junior GIN! major said the strong point of his campaign was that he Sheely were the could direct his campaign to all the ; for the vice- students. "I was able to appeal to students in general, not just the black students." inner of the first Vice-presidential candidate Mike Sheely ted Barry Gray was unavailable for comment. _ In the senatorial race all but one seat has unott wiin 1,594 decked jn District 7 Seat 2 Willie mtroversyarose Haniford and Jill Vaughn were tied and >ted a recount of must runoff again. Winners were District 1 ested ballots. $eat 2 Ryan Ross; District 2 Seat 3 Jill contested were Mainwaring; District 3 Seat 3 Keith names may have Dawkins; District 5 Seat 1 Neal Herring, er sheet but are Seat 3 Hill Bradshaw, Seat 4 Everett leir eligibility is McAllister; District (> Seat 1 Betsy Judey; imission. District 7 Seat 1 Michael Vin/.ani, Seat 3 Bob (leased with the Vincent, Seat 4 Mark Galloway; District 8 t his chances of Seat 1 Leon Richardson, Seat 2 Allen Dent, Seat 3 Richard Thomas; District 13 Charles was the vacant Walt her.